The Stone of Cuore

by Stephen I. Carmer

Rescue the Moonstone!

  Late that same night, nestled in their warm corner of the wagon maker’s shop, a wicked storm blew in. Lightning lit up the sky while thunder crashed around them shaking the old rickety workshop. The wind picked up, howling through the baton siding and rattling loose shingles on the roof. The fire glowed brightly as the wind whipped through the workshop. Then a silence fell as if the storm had suddenly ended. Listening keenly and wondering when the next clap of thunder would shake the old workshop, Platov stared at the smoldering fire watching as red embers flew up the chimney.

  The sound began only as if the wind were beginning to blow again. Howling with a shrill whistle, the fire suddenly sent a shaft of embers up the chimney. But then the sound grew sharply as if something were crashing through the trees. With a series of loud snaps the trees were being shattered. Then the thunder shook the wagon maker’s shack. Curious of the new sound, Platov and Tate both leapt up from the straw bedding and looking out the door. A huge glow of red light filled the sky just beyond the village walls. Combined with the sound of trees crashing to the ground the sight had made for a very curious moment.

  “A moonstone has fallen from the heavens!” Sabian’s voice bellowed over the sleepy village.

  Platov and Tate both ran to the door and stared out at the sight of the old gray wizard hastily making his way from his tower. Lightning lit up the sky again and in that flash, Platov could see Sabian’s determination to make it to the village gates. Carrying his Staff, Sabian was lighting his way with a soft pale glow. The storm was blowing up a huge whirlwind of broken leaves and debris that splattered against the walls of Pristina. Other people hearing Sabian’s urgent call came out. Curiously, Platov and Tate dashed out the door into a splattering of driving rain.

  “We must rescue the moonstone!” Sabian called to them both with urgency in his trembling voice. “Hurry!”

  Racing to the gatehouse, they stopped only for a moment as another flash of blinding lightning lit up the sky. The sound of distant thunder ensued followed by the howl of wolves in the far distance.

  “Hurry lads!” Sabian called. “The moonstone is in peril!”

  In peril of what, Platov did not take the time to consider. Instead, the two of them rushed through the gate. Following the outer walls around to where they had seen the red fireball light up the sky. Trees in the path of the meteorite had been sheered off while a strange red glow formed through the mist.

  “Hurry,” Sabian with amazing speed had caught up with them. “Take sticks and hoist it up. We must keep the moonstone safe.”

  Platov and Tate dashed off to find that a small glowing red stone had embedded itself into the soft ground but not too deeply. Finding broken branches, they pushed at the stone trying to dislodge it. Glowing red, they could feel the heat of the stone.

  Anxiously, Sabian was directing the rescue operation as more workers rushed to help. Superstitious of the meteorite, the men poked at the small stone with long branches. Then gaining leverage from underneath the meteorite was pried from it burrow. Glowing bright red the sticks were smoldering. While watching the men work, Platov looked up and noticed the sky was ablaze with more fireballs.

  “Nothing to fear,” Sabian said reassuringly as he noted both Tate and Platov watching the shower of falling stars.

  “The sky be falling?” Tate asked suspiciously.

  Workers still grabbling to save the meteorite from whomever it was that Sabian feared looked up suspiciously. With a stick, one of the workers managed to coax the stone onto the boughs of a shattered conifer tree. Smoldering with the heat, the pine needles crinkled and smoked. Dragging it behind them and at Sabian’s utter insistence, the men headed for the gatehouse of Pristina. Moments later, as all were accounted for the gates were closed and the heavy wooden doors were closed.

  Now the moonstone small enough to hold in a single hand was pulled into the center of the village. The branch used to drag it was burning and the stone still glowing red, but Sabian explained that it was cooling. As to what it was, Sabian only stated that it had fallen from the moon and that explained why it was so hot. He had been watching with his telescope when he saw it coming. And what good fortune it was that it landed so close to the village where it could be easily rescued from the clutches of an evil wizard.

  “But what does a moonstone do?” Platov asked. He had been one of the few daring to come close enough for a thorough inspection. Noting that it appeared to throb slightly, Platov sensed a strange magic about the stone. His own labradorite stone was throbbing while he could sense that Sage was the most curious admirer of all.

  “Great magic!” Sabian explained. “Very rare, but potent. We shall have to hide it for an evil is already on the way. Dig a hole and cover the moonstone with dirt. Hurry! Wraith is almost upon us.”

  “Wraith?” Platov gasped.

  “I sense his greed,” Sabian said as he examined the sky beyond the gatehouse.

  Platov dashed off to the workshop.

  Gathering up his cloak and tightening the cloth bag with Sage inside around his belt, Platov looked nervously toward the door.

  “I hast to be gone!” Platov said as Tate watched. “The wicked wizard be coming.”

  Tate did not know the whole story as Platov had never mentioned anyone by name, but now he understood that Wraith was the wicked wizard Platov had escaped.

  “You are too late,” Sage’s muffled voice said from inside the cloth bag. “Wraith is just beyond the gates. His greed is set upon the moonstone.”

  Just then a clap of wicked thunder shook the ground. Platov peeked out through the doorway and could see wizard lightning clashing just beyond the gatehouse. The wizards were lashing out at each other with Wraith demanding the moonstone while Sabian was refusing to surrender it. Platov pulled the doors shut tightly and then went to the tiny window to see if he could see anything. There was a door in the back of the workshop. Platov glanced at his escape route when Wraith came calling.

  “Use your magic stone,” Tate said as he too peeked out through the window. Strange green and blue lightning whistled through the skies as the wizards battled.

  “Then he knows I be here,” Platov said, gripping the labradorite stone in his hand tightly. The ground shook again as a wave of deep blue lightning ripped through the sky. Trees snapped off beyond the village walls followed by a counterblast of brilliant charred red lightning. Glinting off the top of the blackened tower, the wicked red lightning shot up into the sky. For a moment, the world was lit up brightly red as the sky ignited and the ground shook again. Both Platov and Tate jumped up into the air grabbing hold of rafters as a wave of red wickedness swept across the ground. The workshop shook and tools fell from the workbenches. Platov dropped back to the floor and peeked out the small window while Tate decided to just keep his grip on the rafters. A counterblast of blue filled the sky around the village and with a grumbling sound the ground shook.

  “Conjure a lightning ball,” Sage said. “Toss it to the top of the tower.”

  Platov held the labradorite stone willing it to conjure the lightning ball. Glowing and sparkling in the air just above Platov’s hand, the lightning ball grew in size and intensity. Then kicking open the door, Platov let it go free. Watching as it floated to the top of the tower, Platov was in awe of the menace he had conjured. Then as Sage spoke in old words, the lightning ball exploded. A huge glowing cloud of amber covered the village walls and then decisively spread out in all directions beyond the walls. The sound of the explosion was deafening. A screaming fiery ball shot down over the village gates taking aim at Wraith. Then only the sound of the massive lightning cloud spreading outwards and through the forest. Platov watched the sky as the wave of light spread away.

  Then Sabian was filling the doorway.

  “Did you do this?” Sabian demanded to know.

  “Yea,” Platov nodded and was still holding the labradorite stone in his hand. The evidence was more than circumstantial.

  “Le
t me see,” Sabian whose hat had been scorched stormed closer and looked over the stone in Platov’s hand.

  “Has Wraith gone?” Tate asked as he approached cautiously.

  “He has retreated,” Sabian replied, but his interest was on the labradorite stone in Platov’s hand. “How is it that you have such a powerful stone?”

  “I traded with a dragon for it,” Platov replied meekly.

  “You have defeated Wraith,” Sabian said. “Remarkable! Tell me, what is the name of the dragon that you traded with?”

  “Scorch,” Platov admitted.

  “Why, Wraith’s dragon,” Sabian chuckled. “A strange and most unexpected twist. One that took Wraith by surprise.”

  “I have two enemies,” Platov admitted. “One is Wraith, the other is Scorch.”

  “You are far too young to have earned not just one but two enemies,” Sabian said. Then his eyes were on the bundle of soft sturdy cloth wrapped up to Platov’s belt. “What other surprises do you hold?”

  “A Sage,” Platov gulped.

  “Curious,” Sabian said. “The night has been full of surprises. I suppose you have captured these things from Wraith’s cave?”

  “Yes sir,” Platov gulped. “I was conscripted to him, but I escaped and bring with me the Sage and the Stone.”

  “I see,” Sabian said. Then he stroked his long white beard for a moment. “You are still apprenticed to Wraith. You had best be gone before he returns. Wraith will be looking for what you have quite anxiously.”

  “But how will you keep him from having the moonstone?” Platov asked.

  “Wraith will not care about the moonstone now that he knows where the Stone of Cuore is,” Sabian stated. “Hurry now! Take the river and be away from here as Wraith will redouble his efforts.”

  Rushing out the door with Tate right behind him, they went through the gate and then disappeared into the woods. Making their way along the trail to the river, they reached the great chasm. Amid flashes of lightning that lit up the dark stormy sky, they followed the precarious trail down to the edge of the river. Taking a boat, Tate took to the front while Platov took the back. Using paddles they guided the narrow river boat into the waters and once it was caught in the current, they were gone into the night.

  Chapter 6: Alexander